


I'll Be Yours

by fio



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Reality, Early in Canon, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Post-Kerberos Mission, Pre-Kerberos Mission, Wedding Rings, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 01:46:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fio/pseuds/fio
Summary: Shiro had grand dreams for a future with Keith, but there was always just one more thing to wait for before it could begin. Between his own workaholic habits, getting abducted, and ending up thrown into an intergalactic war, nothing could stop getting in the way and he wondered how Keith could put up with him so long. And eventually, he's right—Keith stops waiting, and takes things into his own hands.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 73
Collections: Sheith Reverse Big Bang 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> written for the 2019 sheith reverse big bang to go with bruja_kat's art which can be seen here! https://twitter.com/bruja_kat/status/1209558208001347585

Shiro had always been a romantic.

It's why he fell in love with the stars and anyone else who looked at the night sky the same way he did. He imagined a future with a husband, a big wedding, kids and all the rest, one of those fairytale endings like he read in books or saw in movies, but for all of his daydreaming and penchant for sappy love stories he didn't have the luxury of time to actually spend on romance. Too often his drive to reach those stars he loved so much meant he left the people on Earth behind, knowing that any delay could make him miss his chance forever. He knew it wasn't fair, and when they didn't want to stick around and wait for him to settle down on the surface, he let them go without a word.

Until he met Keith. Someone who looked at the night sky with the same awe and drive that he had, but who looked back at _Shiro_ like that, too. It had taken him a while to notice, still caught up in his determination to soar through space as long as he could, but eventually he realized Keith was always there when he returned, never out of patience or tired of Shiro's fixation on the stars because he understood it too.

Securing his position for the Kerberos mission was a long, hard-fought ordeal. His health meant he was almost out of time to be a pilot at all, this his last chance to travel as far and as long as he could. But for the first time, the ever-present pull to the stars was replaced by the strong tug of gravity, keeping Shiro grounded and reluctant to leave. He knew that Keith would be there to greet him after his mission was over like he always was, but there was a new impatience to get back that had never been there before.

Earth had never felt like _home_ before Keith.

And that's how Shiro ended up with a pair of rings in a box hidden away in his closet barely a month out from his departure. It embarrassed him, getting ahead of himself like that. But all those things he thought about—the wedding, the marriage, the _family_ —didn't feel like some far off fantasy with Keith, they felt real and possible! Just... not in the four short weeks before he'd be off in space, billions of miles away. So while he couldn't stop himself from buying the rings, he could make sure to stay practical and temper his eagerness at least a little bit.

Now if only he could stop himself from spending all his mission briefings thinking about how to propose...

*

The last of many meetings for the day was just wrapping up and Shiro had done a good job paying attention despite the nagging impatience to get back to his officer dorm. It was late enough that Keith would be there waiting for him, maybe already asleep. He made his way back, only stopping briefly at the garrison cafeteria to grab two meals in case Keith was up and hungry. Usually he'd eaten his dinner long before Shiro's schedule was finished, but as long as Shiro brought extra, Keith would eat with him just for the company.

Shiro made sure to be quiet when he reached his door and scanned his key. Just as he expected, inside the lights were still on but Keith was asleep where he sat on the couch, still wearing his uniform with his arms crossed over his chest and his head drooped forward. Shiro beamed at the sight of him, amused and endeared. But as he gently placed his bag down by the door and the meal trays on his kitchen counter he couldn't ignore the bubbling guilt and disappointment in his chest. He'd left Keith waiting all night for him, _again_.

The guilt was familiar but the disappointment was new and hit him harder, knowing he was missing out on more time with Keith than they had left to spend together and making his feet drag on his way to the type of mission meetings he used to be the first to arrive for. 

With a sigh, he carefully lifted Keith off the couch, doing his best not to wake him as he carried him back towards the bedroom. He left the lights off as he walked inside and gently laid Keith down on his bed and slid off his shoes, but before he could take a step back there was a sudden, hard tug against his sleeve.

"Shiro," Keith mumbled, pausing to let out a big yawn, "stay 'ere."

"Sorry I woke you but I'll come back in a bit, I'm gonna eat real quick and then get changed."

But Keith made a cranky grunt and tugged at him again. "Eat here."

Shiro could tell he was really sleepy because that was the only time he would make demands like this. It made him smile and he brought his hand to Keith's hair, running his fingers through it.

"Okay, okay. Don't make me spill any on the sheets, though."

Keith was still too groggy to crack open an eye but he nodded and released his grip now that he was satisfied. Shiro laughed to himself and quickly stripped out of his jacket and boots before grabbing one of the trays and bringing it back to his room. He left the overhead lights off but turned on his desk lamp so he wouldn't be eating in total darkness as he whispered to Keith to roll over and make him some room.

Sitting propped up against the pillows, Shiro held his arms up for Keith to get comfortable snuggled up beside him and then rested his tray on his belly.

"Tell me 'bout your day," Keith muttered into Shiro's chest.

"I think that'll just put you back to sleep," Shiro said between large bites of mac and cheese.

"Hmm... prob'ly." Keith was quiet for a few moments, long enough that Shiro thought maybe he'd already passed out again, but finally let out a thoughtful hum. "I can tell you 'bout mine."

"I'd like that, but you don't have to make yourself stay awake for me. I'll probably fall asleep real soon after I eat."

"It's fine, I wanna spend time with you. Missed you."

Shiro's hand froze and he frowned at his forkful of macaroni. 

They'd already talked about this before Shiro had even gotten the pilot spot for the Kerberos mission, and they both understood there was going to be less free time to spend together. This was normal for Shiro—busy schedules until launch, endless meetings, training and prep for the work in space, sleep fitted into any remaining hours that would otherwise be free—and it was far from the first time Keith had watched him go through it. But by this point, everyone else had always walked away. Despite knowing this would very likely be his last long mission, he couldn't shake the fear that Keith might regret how much time he'd spent waiting for someone else when he had his own path to take. 

"... Shiro?"

"Ah, sorry," he said, snapping back to himself. He'd lost his appetite and set the food tray onto the bedside table. "Just feeling like a jerk."

"What? Why?"

Keith was wide awake and sitting up now, looking over Shiro's face with sharp concern. It made Shiro smile and he gave Keith's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before sliding his hand down to find Keith's and pull it into his lap.

"I've made you, and a lot of other people, put things on hold for a long time while I've focused entirely on getting out to space," he explained, looking down at his thumbs rubbing softly over the back of Keith's knuckles. "But now that _I_ have to wait for something until this mission is over it feels like the worst thing in the world. After all that advice I've given you about patience, it's pretty pathetic."

Shiro kept his eyes downward while Keith listened to his admission. He watched as Keith slowly turned his palm upwards in Shiro's hands and his fingers reached up to link with Shiro's own.

"I don't think so... You've been rushing to do a lot while you still can because you _couldn't_ take your time, that doesn't make you pathetic. The people who didn't understand why you couldn't slow down are the jerks," Keith said, the last word coming out with extra venom. Shiro smiled at Keith coming to his defense, even from himself. For all of his own guilt about his workaholic attitude, it was a relief to hear someone finally understood _why_ he had it and didn't judge him for it. 

When he finally looked up again, Keith's expression was hesitant but his eyes never left Shiro's face.

"And... this something you want to get back to after Kerberos..." Keith began, unusually indirect for someone who normally charged straight to the heart of things. But when it came to himself, there was always doubt and disbelief, even after all these years, that Shiro was still trying to help him grow past. Even though they both _knew_ what Shiro had meant, Keith wouldn't make the assumption.

"Some _one_. You," Shiro confirmed quickly, giving Keith's hand a tight squeeze.

Keith's expression melted into a pleased smile that made Shiro nearly sway where he sat with how badly he wanted to kiss him, mesmerized by its brightness.

"You don't have to rush for me. I'll always be here waiting for you when you get back."

"I know you will," Shiro said, but hearing it still helped to shoo away any doubts. "But by the time I get back, this'll probably be _your_ schedule. You're the best pilot here, and they'll want to send you on all sorts of missions."

"You're not supposed to say that. That's favoritism," Keith pointed out despite the hint of smugness in his tone.

"It's not favoritism if it's true," Shiro countered, then tugged Keith forward into a hug and finally gave him that kiss. Keith answered back, humming happily until they broke apart and he cuddled against Shiro's chest once more. "And while you _are_ my favorite, I'm not exactly popular with the upper brass anyway so it's not like my opinion would help you get far. It's your own talent that'll do it."

Keith snorted. "If they don't like _you_ then I'm doomed."

That made Shiro laugh in earnest, dropping his cheek to the top of Keith's head. "Well, you didn't make the best first impression but it doesn't matter who they like anyway. You're the best damn pilot they've got, they'll let you fly."

Whether it was from laying back down again or the assurance that he'd helped Shiro stop feeling upset with himself, Keith's grogginess returned and he quickly slipped back asleep. Shiro's exhaustion was catching up with him too and though they were both still mostly dressed in their uniforms, he didn't want to dislodge Keith or make the effort to change into pajamas. Hitting off the desk light, he carefully adjusted them both so he could lay down, then pulled the blankets up and squeezed Keith against his side.

Despite Keith's promise, Shiro couldn't dislodge the loneliness in his chest completely. He'd be missing Keith every day he was trapped in meetings, even more once he was away in space, and in the future when Keith was the star pilot leading long missions Shiro would miss him from down on Earth. 

But that loneliness paled in comparison to the relief and joy when he returned and Keith would be there in the home they had made with each other.

So Shiro fell asleep contented, dreaming of a married life with Keith out in space in a house built of stardust.

*

The day before the Kerberos launch, the crew were given permission to bring their families to the site and show them around and Shiro brought Keith like he always did. Keith nodded along as Shiro rattled off information he'd probably already told Keith about the ship and the mission ages ago, but there was a noticeable hunch to his shoulders and his arms stayed crossed over his chest the more they walked around.

"Hey," Shiro said, stopping the admittedly boring tour to put a hand on Keith's shoulder and squeeze gently.

Keith kept his eyes on the ship and said nothing.

"I'll be back before either of us know it."

He grimaced, shoulders hunching even further. "Yeah."

With the mission less than a day away, Shiro's eagerness to take off and head into space had finally taken hold in spite of his reluctance in the previous weeks, and Keith's dread of dealing with Garrison officials without Shiro there was no longer something he could ignore. But Shiro didn't want their good-bye to feel so miserable.

"You want to know the first thing I'm going to do when I get back?"

"The same thing you do every time you get back? Drag me to a restaurant to stuff your face with 'real people food' after months of astronaut mush. Then you're going to pass out and make me drive you home."

Shiro laughed at the memory but was quick to point out, "That only happened _once_ , thank you very much." Keith was finally starting to crack a smile now too and Shiro bumped their sides together gently before looking up at the rocket.

"And you're wrong. First thing I'm doing is marrying you."

Beside him, Keith went very still. "... You're not even going to get out of the astronaut suit?"

"Nope. Hope you don't mind me not wearing a tux."

"I don't care about the tuxedo but..." 

There was a soft tug at his elbow and Shiro looked down to see Keith had turned towards him, reaching a hand up to his face. Shiro smiled and let Keith lead him down for a kiss, his own hands finding Keith's waist as he turned to face him fully. The Holt family was still wandering around nearby, and the numerous Garrison officers and launch techs were probably all getting a good view, but Shiro didn't spare much of a thought for them, his attention, his body, his everything wholly focused on _Keith_. There was no hesitation or shyness as Keith kissed him in earnest, amazement and joy in every moment of it and laughter bubbling out of both of them even with their lips sealed against each other. One of Shiro's hands dragged upwards, splaying out over Keith's back and holding him tight as he kissed him deeper. He never, ever wanted to let go.

But eventually they did pull apart with a need to breathe—though not very far, their noses still brushing against one another and their bangs mixing together where they kept their foreheads pressed close.

"If you stay in the suit, we won't be able to do that," Keith said eventually, though he was still breathing heavily.

Shiro blinked in a moment of confusion, his brain having to jog a bit to catch up and remember the conversation they'd been having, before he realized what Keith meant and laughed softly.

"Okay, you're right. First thing I'm doing when I get back is ripping my helmet off, but _then_ I'm marrying you. I can't wait a second longer than that."

Keith began to beam, his eyes shining and cheeks pink, and pushed up on his toes to kiss Shiro again. "Me either."

Since they were _wedding_ rings and not engagement rings, Shiro hadn't thought to bring the box he'd kept hidden the last few weeks but he would show it to Keith tonight. They weren't a permitted item to bring aboard the ship and Shiro, stubborn romantic that he was, didn't want to put them on until things were official, so Keith would have to hold onto them. While he was mostly kidding about getting married the second he landed on Earth—the weeks after returning from space always involved a lot of clumsy readjusting to gravity and a _lot_ of sleep—he wasn't going to wait much longer than that. 

In less than twenty four hours Shiro would be out of the atmosphere and on his way to the stars. It was what he always dreamed of and spent his whole life to achieve, and while he was proud to be the pilot on this mission, he was already excited for it to be over. Because looking at Keith now, he shined almost as if he was star in his own right, so bright that it dragged Shiro's eyes away from the millions shining above their heads, unable to compare.


	2. Chapter 2

There was no triumphant, celebratory return for the members of the Kerberos mission. There was only the Galra, their arena, and their experiments.

It didn't take very long for Shiro to change there, and not just his arm or his scars or his hair. He learned to stop entertaining his imagination the longer he stayed alive, the pain of waking up to his cell all alone after a dream about home was worse than any of the wounds from Galra beasts or side effects of Haggar's surgeries. He didn't think about how to get back to Earth or if he even could and unable to tell whether he'd been captive for days or for years, he squashed whatever hopes he had that anyone believed he was coming back. Any thoughts of Keith—still looking to the stars and waiting, ready to begin their future together—were pushed down deep until they stopped coming up at all.

It was easier to accept he was going to die if the rest of the universe already considered him a dead man.

But no monster they threw into the ring could kill him. The masked scientists who had taken a part of him apparently needed no more. And the body he'd been fighting for years to use as much as he could before it gave out... just kept going. Trapped in the limbo of the Galra prison, Shiro's heart was still beating even if it didn't feel much like living.

His eventual escape was just as abrupt as his capture and somehow, despite everything, he made it back to Earth alive and the first time he awoke without shackles on it was in Keith's hideaway.

"How did you know to come save me?" Shiro asked, desperate to know why, after so much time and with every reason not to, Keith had been waiting for his arrival.

When Keith showed Shiro and the others his board, that what he'd been waiting for had been a mystery even to him, there was both relief and a deep sadness in Shiro's chest. What he'd been telling himself now seemed true—the Earth and everyone on it had continued on without him, his life and his future lost to the deep reaches of space. But as much as it grieved him, he was compelled forward by the need to stop Galra so no one else's future could be stolen away like his, and whatever he could do to find Voltron, he would throw himself into it.

In the brief moments before their small group headed out into the desert, Shiro caught Keith looking at him strangely. He felt like an alien in that moment, and part of him _was_ , he realized, his metal hand squeezing into a fist at his side. Keith stepped closer when the chatting of the other three got louder and almost like it was an instinct, Shiro felt the immediate urge to lean in to him, close the space between them and _hold_ him. But no matter how natural that may have felt before, now his body froze, terrified that the intimacy they once had would be unwelcome.

"Shiro, after we find whatever's out there, can we— there's something— I just..." Keith trailed off. He frowned, frustration making his shoulders tense as he failed to find the words he wanted. It was such a familiar sight, Keith's body language still easy to read despite their time apart, that it made Shiro eager to agree regardless of whatever fear he had.

"Of course," Shiro said quickly, "Once things slow down."

Keith's rigid posture immediately relaxed and he smiled wide, and for a fleeting second, the air between them felt as comfortable and happy as if Shiro had never been gone at all, the both of them just glad to be together.

*

As it turned out, things rarely slowed down during a war.

For the second time, Shiro found himself suddenly across the universe and surrounded by aliens. But this time he had a team, a mission and a giant robot to accomplish it with, so no matter how much he still felt like a dead man walking, he threw himself into doing everything that he could. Compared to the breakneck pace between training, working with aliens, and encounters with the Galra, his constantly busy schedule as a pilot rushing to get to the stars now seemed so slow, like he'd had all the time in the world.

The mercy of their new demanding roles as paladins at least meant he couldn't dwell on his regrets of the time he'd wasted.

But eventually the constant action did come to a halt. Their first real break, where there was nothing they could do for at least a day, was after they captured Sendak.

"Shiro, you got pretty hurt, too. Are you sure you don't need some time in a recovery pod?" Keith asked once Allura and Pidge had wandered away from the med bay.

"No, I'm fine, this is nothing," Shiro reassured him. Getting banged up in the paladin armor left a lot fewer nicks and dings on him than the tattered prisoner clothing he'd worn before. He still felt _sore_ , but a normal day's rest would be enough.

"Then... can I talk to you? Somewhere private," Keith added and glared at the pod where Lance was recovering as if he would try to eavesdrop through his stasis.

"Sure. Lead the way," Shiro said calmly despite the sudden thundering of his heartbeat.

Shiro's feet felt like lead as he followed Keith through the castleship to his room, dreading what Keith would want to talk about even though he understood that they needed to clear the air, their unspoken agreement to leave their personal matters aside for the time being only putting off the inevitable. It was one thing to tell himself that Keith wouldn't be waiting for him anymore out of self-preservation, but that had been when he'd thought he'd never _see_ Keith again to actually hear him say it. No matter what Keith told him, it wouldn't get in the way of the team, that much was certain. The war outweighed Shiro's feelings and a broken heart was nothing when weighed against the safety of the rest of the universe. But he wasn't sure what would become of him, already feeling like a ghost of a past life left behind in the world even though his heart was still beating strongly in chest. 

Without realizing it, his dragging pace had slowed him down so much he was barely halfway down the corridor of bedrooms. When he glanced up, Keith was looking back at him, waiting patiently, and seeing him still there made Shiro jog to catch up.

Though Keith had asked to talk, once inside his room there was suddenly no need for words. Keith wrapped his arms around Shiro's shoulders and Shiro responded immediately, hugging Keith around his middle and holding him tight against his chest. All of his fears felt so silly now. Shiro felt _alive_ for the first time since his abduction, real and human again just from the comfort of Keith's touch. 

He lost track of how long they embraced, only opening his eyes again when he heard Keith ask in a shaky voice, "Do you remember us? Do you remember _me_?"

"Yes," Shiro answered, squeezing Keith tighter. No matter how muddled and disjointed his memory had become, his memories of Keith were solid and constant, even when he'd _tried_ to hide from them. "Did you wait for me? All this time?"

" _Yes_. I knew you were out there, I just didn't know how to get you back."

Shiro's heart soared at Keith's words, but almost as quickly came crashing back down to the pit of his belly. The joy and relief of knowing he'd been wrong—Keith still loved him, even now with his alien scars and fragmented mind—was swallowed by guilt, stronger than when they'd both been on Earth together. Waiting for a space voyage to end was different from waiting to see a war end, and Keith had already done too much of it..

"And when you _did_ come back, things were... so different for you. I didn't want to add to it if you weren't ready or if your memories of us had been jumbled and lost, too. But we have even less time now," Keith whispered sadly before Shiro could speak.

Shiro took one last deep breath against Keith's neck before pulling back to meet his eyes.

"I know."

As they looked at each other, they both understood. Voltron and the war came first. It moved him, that after all their time apart with how much Shiro had changed and how much _Keith_ had changed that they were still so similar that they didn't need words to know they were both thinking the same. Shiro searched for something to say, not wanting to lie and pretend because there was no use for any of that between them, but it was hard to admit that the future they'd envisioned may never come true.

Keith looked stumped for a moment too, opening his mouth to speak but changing his mind, glancing briefly at his jacket strewn across his bed. He shook his head once and then looked back up at Shiro.

"When this is over..."

"The rest of our lives will be just ours."

It was a promise Shiro wasn't sure he could keep. Not everyone survived a war, and he was already running on fumes, unable to know how much longer his body would hold out. But it was still one he wanted, desperately, to come true.

They sealed it with a kiss, chaste and slow.

*

Every mission, things kept going wrong. They'd gotten the hang of forming Voltron but that only got them so far, and their cohesion as a team fell apart almost constantly. If someone wasn't held prisoner, they were hurt, and if they weren't hurt, they were too late to their goal and the Galra kept succeeding. They were just a handful of fighters against the armies of entire galaxies and it was hard to see progress being made when they could barely get out of every encounter alive.

In the short moments of reprieve they had, Shiro and Keith often sought out each other just to share in the simple relief of their company, easily falling back into the patterns they had back on Earth—though sadly without the comfort of mac and cheese, replaced instead with green goop. Sometimes he noticed Keith debating with himself when he thought Shiro wasn't looking, but he always decided against whatever it was because he made no mention of it. Shiro was curious, but refused to press him to find out. When it was important enough, he knew Keith would share it.

There was something Shiro was holding back on saying, too. In all their missions, even the ones that went wrong, he saw in Keith the same brilliance he'd seen in his piloting back on Earth and an instinct that rarely failed him. When he could no longer pilot, he knew Keith would be the one to take his place.

He just hadn't expected that to be so _soon_.

In spite of their string of small victories, their first face-to-face encounter with Zarkon and his main forces was a disaster. For all that time Shiro had considered himself a dead man already, he wasn't prepared to be facing down death now with the wound in his side and a lion that wouldn't respond, stranded on a planet with no one, more alone than he'd ever been—until the crackle of his radio came to life in his ear and Keith was there, on his way.

Shiro didn't want to die now, not when he had a promise to keep, so he kept moving.

*

When Shiro awoke in the recovery pod, the first face he saw was Keith's. There was relief there, just like the other paladins who were happy to see him too, but a new resolve as well. Shiro wondered what he was thinking as the stasis ended and he fell forward, letting Keith catch him. He'd been so reluctant on the planet surface when Shiro had told him to lead in his place, but maybe the idea sat better with him now.

But his memories had bubbled up during his recovery, and suddenly they had a new lead. No one else shared his confidence, that this Ulaz would be safe to trust and able to help them, not even Keith. They had precious little in the way of other options though and the decision was made to go find him.

Shiro told the others he would head back to his room to put on his paladin uniform before they made the jump to their destination, but he also needed a private moment to collect himself without the weight of their stares, whether they were expectant for orders or worried about this plan or anything else. Brushes with death certainly weren't _new_ for him by now, and he'd all but accepted he wouldn't make it out of there. But as he collapsed down onto the edge of his bed, his whole body sagged forward as the stress rocketing through his nerves finally gave way to an exhaustion not even the Altean recovery tech could get rid of.

Where before he'd considered himself an expected loss in this war, that resigned acceptance had gradually fled in the face of something much stronger. Keith had been there to rescue him this time, and every day he was fighting at Shiro's side, and every brief respite Shiro could afford to take was in his company. He'd spent so long in that Galra prison forcing himself not to think about what he was certain was lost, it took some time before he realized it hadn't been.

His dreams of returning home had never been about settling back down on Earth. They'd been about being with _Keith_ , and he was still here, still within reach. Galra Empire or no, Shiro couldn't afford to die when the future he ached for was so close.

But for now, there was still the mission. Grabbing his helmet, Shiro stood to finish pulling on his armor but was interrupted by a knock on the door. He was startled but far from unhappy to find Keith on the other side of it when it slid open.

"Keith?"

"I can't wait anymore," he said hastily, that earlier resolve clear in his face.

The words sent a cold shock through Shiro's body, as if he'd been abruptly tossed out into the vacuum of space. He froze and said nothing despite how wrong this seemed. Why had Keith come to tell him this now? How could their thoughts be so out of sync? Had he relied too much on their unspoken understanding to be the same for them both, when really he'd just been taking Keith for granted again? In his stunned stupor he didn't realize Keith was holding something out to him.

"You gave this to me, to keep until you came back," Keith prompted when Shiro stayed silent. Shiro let his eyes drag downward slowly, towards Keith's outstretched palm and the small box on top of it. "And I've been waiting for when there'd be time for us, but I think we have to _make_ time. And I can't wait any longer."

A different kind of shock rolled over him as he finally recognized the box. He reached up to take it, comprehension dawning on him when he opened it and saw the very same rings he'd bought in his excitement and impatience what felt like a lifetime ago. That day was crystal clear in his memory still, the indecision when he'd gone to pick them out and wasn't sure whether gold or silver would fit them better, until the jeweler had recommended to him a unique set that glowed a brilliant yellow even in the dark. The mineral had been strangely named and he did suspect for a second he may have been getting scammed, but the more he'd looked at them, they were almost otherworldly in their glow. And what better kind of ring to suit the two of them with their eyes set on getting out to those worlds. The only thing different about them now was a string attached to them both, something Keith must have tied to ensure they never got separated.

Shiro's eyes lingered on the identical pair, just as brilliant as he remembered, until he could find his voice.

"How... Have you always carried this with you?"

His eyes shot up to Keith's face once more. From Shiro's rescue to their arrival on Arus, Keith hadn't left his side, so the only way he could still have these rings was if he'd never been without them.

"Of course," Keith said. "I told you, I knew you'd be coming back and I wasn't going to be caught without it."

Shiro beamed down at him, feeling awed in the way only Keith could make him.

"Then let's do it. No more waiting." Shiro's chest squeezed tight at the bright, thrilled smile that spread across Keith's face instantly. "Keith, will you marry me? Here, now?"

" _Yes_ ," Keith sighed, the relief at finally getting to hear and answer that question making his eyes begin to shine. Shiro swooned forward, kissing him in gratefulness and joy. Keith was right—there was no point in taking more time when they could carve out this moment for themselves now and do what should've been done a long time ago.

"We'll need a few things," Shiro said when they broke apart, pushing the box back into Keith's hands. Keith's face faltered into brief confusion, glancing from the rings and back to Shiro, clearly having expected the rings to be all they would need. And maybe they were, but the romantic Shiro had once been wasn't _completely_ gone. This wouldn't be the big grand wedding he'd always imagined for them—though maybe after the war was well and truly finished, they could still have one and he could show off to everyone that he was the luckiest man in the universe—but there was no reason to miss out on _all_ the fixtures of a formal ceremony when they could improvise.

"I'll be right back," Shiro promised, giving Keith one last quick kiss before dashing for the castle's kitchen.

Hunk hardly had the time or the ingredients to make anything quite as intense as a wedding cake, but Shiro found some leftover cookies that looked most edible of the baked goo experiments and grabbed them. He also gathered up two glasses and a decanter full of a drink Coran had described as sweet and traditional beverage for when the Alteans received ambassadors. A drink for a formal enough occasion to work for an impromptu wedding too, he thought.

He'd hoped to find the mice snacking away to bring them as small witnesses too, but they were nowhere to be found. He wasn't going to waste anymore time searching the castle and it seemed more fitting that this stayed a private moment, shared only between the two of them. And this way they wouldn't need a bouquet either, having no one to throw it to.

When Shiro rushed back to his room, he found Keith sitting on the edge of his bed, knees curled up to his chest and arms resting across them. At the sight of Shiro's armful, he raised an eyebrow.

"Were you hungry?" he asked, making Shiro laugh as he walked over to join him.

"No, these are for us, for after."

"Oh." Keith was quiet a moment. "I don't really know anything about weddings," he mumbled, letting his knees drop down to put his feet back on the floor. 

Shiro looked at him once he'd set the plate and glasses aside. There was no way Keith was getting cold feet, but the way he was leaning over his lap and keeping his eyes on the floor, Shiro knew he was nervous. He raised his hand to Keith's back and stroked across his shoulders reassuringly.

"Hey, you don't have to. I'm the sappy one who used to daydream about this stuff so you can just follow my lead," he said jokingly, giving Keith's cheek a kiss. "Plus there's a lot less to it with just us here."

Keith nodded but still kept his eyes focused downward. Shiro smiled and gave Keith's back one last comforting rub.

"Are you ready?"

Immediately, Keith's gaze came up to meet Shiro's and he nodded fiercely.

His hand dropped away from Keith's back and he turned his body fully to face him as he held both in front of him for Keith to take, the small alcove of the bed making for a humble altar as their fingers joined together. Once Keith had mirrored his position, Shiro took a moment to decide on the opening remarks.

"Dearly beloved," Shiro began to the audience of just the two of them, "We are here today for the joining of you, Keith Kogane, and me, Takashi Shirogane, in the bonds of marriage, a celebration of a love that has endured across the stars. We look to the past, grateful for the circumstances that introduced us, the miracle of falling in love, and the efforts we made to stay with one another. We look to the present, grateful for this one-in-a-billion chance to have ended up on this unimaginable journey together instead of kept light years apart. And we look to the future—" Shiro paused, a tremor suddenly in his voice. Keith's eyes were wide, rapt with attention, patient as ever for Shiro to continue. "We look to the future, knowing it will be easier to reach with the strength we give each other, through our love, our dedication, and our union."

He'd always known he'd tear up at his wedding someday, but the plan had been to hide it since the officiator would be doing most of the talking. Now he felt overly conscious of the shake in his voice, but Keith's eyes were shining at the corners already, too. It made him smile knowing they were a couple of romantic saps—a perfect pair.

"This next part is where we exchange vows," Shiro explained, his voice dipping into a whisper as if to avoid disrupting the ceremony. "Usually people prepare them in advance, but we didn't really have time. There's a standard one, you can repeat after me if you like, but... I think I do have something else I want to say. I'll go first, and you can see what I mean."

The nervous hunch of Keith's shoulders was back now that he realized he was unprepared for something, but he nodded and when Shiro's hands gave him a reassuring squeeze, he squeezed back gratefully.

"Keith," Shiro began, taking a pause to breathe in deep. "I had always been in a hurry. A hurry to be the best and do the best while I still could, because I felt... I _knew_ that I wouldn't be much of anything once I'd run out of time. Plenty of people tried to stop me, and maybe they were right to want to do it, but none of them could. And then I met you."

Keith inhaled sharply, a wobbly smile beginning to spread across his face.

"You are so unlike anyone else in so many ways. But the way that you have struck me deepest, that I will always be so touched and grateful for, is how you always saw _me_. Not the hot shot pilot, not the troubled sick kid, not the frayed remains of a Galra abductee. You just always see... me. And when everyone else wanted me to stop or give up, you encouraged me to keep going, to do what I know I wanted. Except now, all I want is to slow down, because after my time of piloting is up I'll get to be with you. The universe I wanted to catch up with so badly can leave me behind right this second for all I care, as long as I get to slow down for the rest of my life with you."

Somehow, he managed to finish without his voice shaking too badly. But he could feel the tears in his eyes ready to slip out and he had to take a few breaths to try and hold off on crying in earnest. Keith's face, on the other hand, was already tear-streaked and pink-cheeked, and he tried to dry some of it by rubbing his cheeks against his shoulders but succeeded only in spreading the wetness further across his skin. Shiro laughed, his whole body shaking and warm with it, and briefly pulled one hand away to grab his bedsheet and give Keith's face a drying rub. More than the cookies and wine, he really should've gone to find them some tissues.

Once Keith was decently dry again, Shiro cleared his throat and added the formal ending vow.

"So. I, Takashi, take you Keith, to be my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward until death do us part. Now it's your turn. You can repeat after me—"

"No, I want to say something too," Keith said quickly, his voice surprisingly steady. Shiro nodded and waited, letting Keith take a few moments to stare down at his lap while he came up with the right words.

"Shiro, I don't know who I'd be now if I hadn't met you." Keith's head came up slowly, the shake of his shoulders and hands in Shiro's giving away his nerves, but his eyes were clear and steady. "You saw me when no one else had _at all_. I was always going to be some nobody, no matter how good I was at something or how badly I wanted it, until you made everyone else look at me, too. But then, once I did have their attention all on me, it still didn't feel... right. I was only as worthwhile to them as what I could do, and none of them ever really thought I could do it in the first place. Only you made me feel like I wasn't wrong for thinking I was capable of more. Only you believed in me, and you kept doing it until I could believe in me, too." 

As Shiro listened, he felt a pang of sadness for all that struggling Keith had gone through. But it was just as quickly washed away with joy, because Keith had overcome it, and Shiro had been able to help him do it.

"So I feel so lucky and grateful that, out of all the people in the world, I'm the one you wanted to see every time you came back from space. That everyone else whose eyes had always been on you don't get to see you the way I do, at your best _and_ at your lowest. And for the rest of my life, I want to keep having that honor. And, um... I guess that's it. I don't really know what else to say."

"That's fine, that was wonderful, Keith," Shiro said, moved and breathless. "You can just do the formal vow if you want to."

Giving a nod, Shiro said the vow again and let Keith repeat after him slowly, "I, Keith, take you Takashi, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. To love, and to cherish. From this day forward, until death do us part."

It felt official then already, but there were still a few more steps left. Letting go of Keith's hands, Shiro reached for the box between them and pulled the rings out by the string that tied them together. With a quick tug, he broke the string and let the rings fall into his palm before pressing one into Keith's.

"Now, with this ring, I thee wed and pledge my love, forever and always," Shiro said as he took Keith's left hand in his slowly and gently slipped it over his finger.

Following his lead, Keith repeated the motion as he slid the ring down Shiro's finger and said, "With this ring, I thee wed and pledge my love, forever and always."

Shiro's head was already swimming with giddiness, but having to be his own officiator, he still had a few words to get out.

"I now pronounce us husband and husband," Shiro said, watching in awe as the most stunning smile spread across Keith's face. "We may now kiss, the first of many in our lives as joined souls in joined love."

Bringing his newly-ringed hand up to Keith's face, Shiro marveled at how loved he felt in that moment, and finally kissed his _husband_.

The informality of the small, impromptu ceremony belied the depth and intensity of their oaths, but it was also perfectly fitting in its simplicity. There was nothing complicated or fancy about how they felt for each other. They were just in love, and would always be.

When they finally broke apart, Keith wiped at the corner of his eyes while Shiro grabbed one of the cookies from the plate and held it up for Keith.

"So what part of a wedding is this for?" Keith asked, taking it but not biting it.

"Well, not every wedding does it, but I always pictured us with a great big wedding cake, and after we cut the first slice together, we feed each other our first bites. I figured these cookies will do until we have our bigger wedding someday."

"Hmm," Keith hummed, breaking off a piece and holding it up for Shiro. He grinned at Keith's immediate willingness to go along with the silly tradition and took the bite from Keith's fingers, relieved when the taste was, while not familiar, still quite delicious. "So you want to have another wedding?"

"Someday," Shiro shrugged, kissing Keith's cheek before holding up a cookie for him to take a bite next. "Just for the fun of it, though. The decorations, the giant cake, the first dance and all that stuff, I want to share that with you and our friends, and maybe a bit of showing off as well. But this will always be our _real_ wedding to me."

"Me, too," Keith said, leaning against Shiro's arm as he chewed around his mouthful of cookie. Their hands bumped where they'd settled over each other's knees and when Keith took Shiro's left hand in his own, they both smiled at the sound their rings made from tapping together.

Beyond this room, a war was still raging and they would have to leave this moment of peaceful contentedness to return to it soon. But there would be no regrets now no matter what happened, the future they had always dreamed of finally beginning with no more postponing. Wherever their journey with Voltron took them, their home was with each other and the proof of it shone in the wedding bands that glowed around their fingers.


End file.
